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McMorran Place
McMorran Arena is a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena in Port Huron, Michigan initially built in 1960 for $3.5 million in downtown Port Huron. The arena was originally designed to seat 3,400 for hockey and football, and 4,800 for concerts. McMorran arena is part of the McMorran Place which consist of The Arena, The Pavilion, and The Theatre. The structure's were designed by Alden Dow. Sports The arena has been the home arena to many sports teams over the years such as, the Port Huron Flags, the Port Huron Border Cats, the Beacons, the Port Huron Pirates, and the current team using the arena The Port Huron Icehawks. The Arena The arena seats 3,400 for ice hockey and indoor football and 4,800 for concerts. The arena floor measures 85 feet by 185 feet (27 by 62 metres). The dasher boards have 8 ft. glass on the ends and 4 ft. glass on the sides for ice hockey. The arena is also used for conventions, circuses, ice shows, trade shows, and banquets, among other events.The arena has hosted many major headlining musicians throughout the years. The Pavilion The pavilion features 25,000 square feet (2500 m²) of space for sporting events, trade shows, banquets, meetings, and conventions. The Theatre The 1,157-seat theatre is used for Broadway shows, movies, concerts, and other stage events. It features not only excellent acoustics and sight lines, but also a stage curtain, also designed by Alden Dow. It is home to the International Symphony Orchestra and the Port Huron Civic Theatre. In addition there is a meeting room and a lounge at the complex. Outside the building a 22-foot diameter clock and the Night and Day fountain, both by sculptor Marshall Fredericks. Two more banquet rooms will be added in the near future. Future Expansion Future plans for the arena involve expanding and modernizing, adding more seats and suites to bring in bigger crowds. The proposals include expanding the ice rink to regulation size, new seats, removing the sound baffles, new scoreboard, widening the arena to add more seats and suite boxes to accommodate more people, and remodeling the exterior of the building including connecting the arena to the pavilion. Possible future plans The city of Port Huron and St. Clair County Community College have been involved in discussions over a possible land swap involving turning the facility over to the College. There are presently four sheets of ice in Port Huron. There are minor, high school and recreation leagues needing ice time and the removal of this facility could have major repercussions. The city host an annual event called the Port Huron Silver Stick Tournament. The event has 128 teams playing games over two weekends. Nearly half are played at McMorran Place. The event director says the deal could spell the end for the event which has been held in Port Huron for 53 years. The event could be shifted to Lapeer, Michigan or to Macomb Township, Michigan. The event contributes nearly $2.4 million to the local economy on a yearly basis. Link to Times Herald Article about landswap and possible repercussions External links * McMorran Place Web Site Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in Michigan Category:Federal Hockey League arenas